The Wall Street Journal reported on the release of the 2015 Annual Report to Congress, saying:

An internal watchdog at the Internal Revenue Service is warning that the agency’s plan to shift many taxpayer services to the Internet contains risks for the public and may not work as the IRS intends.

Nina Olson, the national taxpayer advocate, deemed the uncertainty about the IRS “future state” project as the most serious problem facing taxpayers. She called on the IRS to provide more details about the plans immediately. Ms. Olson, who runs an independent office inside the IRS, released her annual report on Wednesday.

Ms. Olson wrote that she is concerned about how IRS interaction with taxpayers may evolve as the agency tries to cope with funding limits and updates its aging technology. The new online account system, a priority for IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, could let the IRS reduce service even further than it already has on its toll-free telephone lines and its walk-in assistance centers.